Warper reed assembly



July 29, 1969 F. o, Gomma HARPER REED ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 26, 1967 INVENTOR. FSTER O. GORUM AGENT July 29, 1969 F. o. GORUM WARPER REED ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 26, 1967 FIG. 3.

I NV ENTOR. FOSTER O. GORUM AGENT United States Patent O 3,457,612 WARPER REED ASSEMBLY Foster O. Gorum, Pensacola, Fla., assignor to Monsanto Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 26, 1967, Ser. No. 693,236 Int. Cl. D02h 13/16 U.S. Cl. 28-54 5 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An angled dent warper reed rotatably and reciprocably positionable to control the spread of a warp sheet in line adjustment through a wide range of uniform expansion and contraction.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention herein relates to an improved reed for a warping operation. Basically, a reed comprises a rectangular frame interlaced with -a plurality of wires or strips called dents. A common type of warper reed employed in warping operations is referred toas a fan reed because of its characteristic radial or fan arangement of dents. Fan reeds, normally mounted with the dents in a vertical position when in use, are adapted to be raised or lowered to spread the yarn ends of a warp sheet further apart or to bring them closer together.

When packaging warp beams it is advantageous to have reeds capable of providing a wide latitude of accommodation or adjustment over the expansion and contraction of a warp sheet, and capable of maintaining uniformity in spacing of the individual -yarn ends under all conditions of adjustment. Fan reeds provide a relatively limited range of dimensional control over a warp sheet and, consequently, reed substitutions are frequently required to accommodate different operational requirements. Fan reeds also have a non-parallel alignment of dents that dene a variable spacing pattern therebetween thus reducing the effective control of the spacing of the yarn .ends within the warp sheet.

The warper reed assembly embodying the invention is designed to provide a wide range of dimnesional control of a warp sheet and to maintain precise uniform spacing between warp ends under all conditions of operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The warper reed assembly comprises a reed having uniformly spaced, parallel dents laced angularly in a frame that is pivotally and slidably supported on linearly displaceable or actuable blocks. The blocks are threadingly mounted on journaled screws and are independently displaceable by controlled operation of the screws to impart rotary and reciprocable positioning of the reed. Rotation of the reed in one direction condenses and in the opposite direction expands a warp sheet passing through the spaces of the reed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a perspective view of the warperreed assembly embodying the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view illustrating the warper reed rotated in a counterclockwise direction for condensing a warp sheet,

3,457,612 Patented July 29, 1969 ICC FIGURE 3 is a perspective view illustrating the warper reed rotated in a clockwise direction for expanding a warp sheet, and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective View of the warper reed assembly, with portions'broken away, illustrating in more detail the structure of the assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT It will be understood that like components in the several figures in the drawings are identified by like reference numerals.

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1-4, the warper reed assembly 2 comprises a rectangular frame warper reed 4 having upper, lower, left and right side frame members 6, 8, 10 and 12, respectively. A plurality of uniformly spaced parallel wires or dents 14 are interlaced between the upper and lower frame members. The dents 14 are slanted or angled, preferably within a range of 10-45 relative to a perpendicular line extended between the upper and lower frame members or from -a vertical reference, and are slanted or raked to either side of the perpendicular. Dents 14 may be made of thin metal strips or wires and attached to the frame members conventionally by soldering.

Attached to and extending laterally from the midpoint of each frame member 10 and 12 is a plate extension or bar 16 and 18, respectively. Plates 16 and 18, at their free ends, extend into respective slots, 20 and 22, formed in threaded blocks, 24 and 26, that are each mounted threadingly on a vertically positioned screw, 28 and 30, respectively. Slots 20 and 22 have rounded, convex upper and lower slot surfaces, and each block 26 has a set screw 32. Although two set screws 32 are provided, only one is required for operation, two being provided for convenience. Blocks 24 and 26 may be made in two sections and clamped together by a stud and nut arrangement 34, as shown in FIG. 4.

Each screw, 28 and 30, has a corresponding handle, 36 4and 38, xed thereto at the upper end thereof and each is journaled rotatably at its lower end within a corresponding block, 40 and 42, each slidably mounted on a lower crossbar 44 of a warper stand 46. Adjacent their upper ends, screws 28 and 30 are journaled Within respective blocks, 48 and 50, each slidably mounted on an upper crossbar 52 of stand 46. Crossbars 44 and 52 are spaced from and parallel with the upper and lower reed frame members 6 and 8. Blocks 40, 42, 48 and 50 are provided with set or locking screws.

Warper stand 46 is slidably mounted at its lateral sides Within xed rails, 54 and 56, and may be raised or lowered and clamped securely by locking screws as shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 1 illustrates the warper reed assembly 2 in operation on warp beaming apparatus. The reed 4 (FIG. 2) has an angled dent structure, as described, and is longitudinally aligned with and vertically or perpendicularly positioned relative to a horizontal warp sheet 46l). At least one of the set screws 32 is tightened down. Assume that set screw 32 is tightened down to lock against plate 16, while the other set screw 32 is turned out and not binding against plate 18. The yarn ends 62 comprising the warp sheet 60 are traveling from an eyeboard 64 and are passing through the spaces between dents 14 of reed 4 and are being taken up on a beam 66 of preselected size. For purposes of clarity the yarn ends 66 traveling from eyeboard 64 to reed 4 are deleted from the drawing. Beam 66 is power driven at a constant peripheral rate of speed and has surface engagement with a pressure roll 68. The warp sheet 60 passes over a breast roll 70 that guides the yarn ends to -beam 66, and passes over a static eliminator plate 72 prior to being taken -up on beam 66. Parallel dents 14 of the'reed 4 provide a uniform spacing of the individual yarn ends of the warp sheet and assure winding of a uniformly packaged beam. For purposes of further illustration assume that the warp sheet in the above operation or iirst operation consists of 1160 ends.

Suppose that in a second operation, itis desired to wind more than 1160 ends on a beam of the same size used in the rst operation, and to maintain the same warp sheet width. FIG. 2 illustrates the reed 4 rotated in counterclockwise direction for condensing or contracting the width of the original 1160 yarn end warp sheet. To rotate reed 4, set screw 32 is loosened slightly to constrain against but not to lock plate 16. Handle 36 is then rotated in a counterclockwise direction causing block 24 to move downwardly, and handle 38 is turned in a clockwise direction causing block 26 to move upwardly. Since plate 16 is fixedly pivoted about screw 32, as the left side of the reed is lowered and the right side raised, plate 1S Will slide outwardly of block 24. The curved walls of slot 22 permit the plates 16 and 18 to tilt in slot-s 20 and 22. The dents 14 now assume a decreased angle relative to the horizontal warp sheet 60 and cause the yarn ends to condense forming a warp sheet of smaller width. A suicient number of ends may then be added to the warp operation to bring the warp sheet to its original width. Should it be necessary to center the reed more accurately the operator may move the reed 4 leftwardly or right- Wardly by either applying a manual force to the reed 4 to cause it to move against the constraining force of set screw 32, or the combined reed 4 `and screw 28 and 30 assembly may be moved as desired on the warper stand 46 by loosening blocks 40, 42, 48 and 50. A vertical adjustment can be made by slidably adjusting the warper stand 46 within rails 54. The reed is tightened down with set screw 32 prior to commencing winding on beam 66.

Assume that in a third Winding operation, it is desired to wind less than 1160 yarn ends on a beam of the same size described in the above two operations, while maintaining the original warp sheet width. FIG. 3 illustrates the reed 4 rotated in a clockwise direction for expanding the warp sheet whereby yarn ends may be deleted to decrease the Width of the warp sheet to its desired original width. To rotate the lreed 4, set screw 32 is loosened slightly, handle 36 is turned in a clockwise direction and handle 38 in a counterclockwise direction to elevate the left side of reed 4 above the right side, thereby rotating the reed dents 14 to form a greater dent-to-warp sheet angle than in the iirst operation producing an expansion of the warp sheet. Warp ends may then be deleted to reduce the width of the warp to its original size. After tightening screw 32 and aligning the reed, the operation may be commenced.

The warper reed assembly 2 provides a wide range of accommodation in the expansion and contraction of a warp sheet, and the parallel dents effectively control the uniformity in spacing between the yarn ends. Since the reed 4 is adjustable at either side, it is possible to effec- 4 tively control selvages forming 'at one Vend of a beam without affecting the winding operation at the opposite end.

It will be understood that variations and modifications of the illustrated embodiment of the invention are expected to be covered Within the purview of the invention, and that limitations are only expected within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A warper reed assembly comprising in combination,

a reed having a plurality of parallel, uniformly spaced dents angled 10-45 relative to a vertical reference, means for operatively supporting said reed to provide rotary adjustment therefor.

2. A warper reed assembly comprising in combination,

a reed having a frame of upper and lower and opposed side members with a plurality of parallel, uniformly spaced dents laced angularly from 10.-45l from a vertical reference between said upper and lower members,

a support means having a slot dened therethrough mounted adjacent each of said side members,

a lateral extension projecting from each of saidside members, each extension mounted and being slidable and tiltable within a slot of a respective support means,

means for pivotally constraining and locking :at least one of said lateral extensions within said slots, and

means for controlling actuation of said support means to effect rotary and reciprocable adjustment of said reed.

3, A warper reed assembly as in claim 2, wherein said slots have oppositely disposed convex surfaces.

4. A warper reed `assembly as defined in claim 2, wherein said means for controlling actuation of said support means comprises a pair of rotatably journaled screws each having threaded engagement with one of said support means and each provided with a controller.

5. A warper reed assembly as in claim 4, wherein said support means supports said reed in a vertical position, wherein actuation of said controllers displaces said support means on said screws to effect rotation and reciprocation of said reed in the vertical plane thereof, and wherein adjustment means are provided for linearly displacing said screws upwardly, downwardly and laterally.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,289,015 12/ 1918 Suter 28-54 1,818,526 8/1931 Baker 28-54 3,174,207 3/ 1965 Duncan 28-32 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,030 1903 Great Britain.

23,057 1896 Great Brit-ain.

- 655,510 7/ 1951 Great Britain.

JAMES KEE CHI, Primary Examiner 

